Half of all digital media time spent on smartphone apps

Smartphone apps now account for half of all time spent online, according to a US study.

The research by comScore showed that 50% of all digital media time is spent on smartphone apps, with desktop accounting for 32% and tablets 11%.

“Chances are when you want to know what’s happening around the world, or in pop culture, or in your friends’ lives, your first move is to reach into your pocket and open one of the number of different social apps on your phone,” comScore’s Adam Lella wrote in a blog post. “And unless you already happen to be sitting at a computer, a smartphone app is probably your first option when you decide to listen to music, get directions to a destination, check the weather or catch up on email.”

Smartphone apps have eclipsed all other digital media platforms combined thanks to their convenience, Lella explained:

“You almost always have your smartphone on you, and apps allow you to immediately access a service in one simple tap of the screen. As smartphone screens have gotten larger and as 4G LTE networks enable faster speeds, there becomes even less of a reason to use other platforms such as desktop or tablets, save for specific tasks.”

With smartphone apps likely to continue growing their share of digital media time, it’s clear that all platforms are not equal. Publishers and advertisers need to take into account the significant influence of smartphone apps when planning their digital strategies. In practice, this means that smartphones should be considered the primary platform and the customer experience on this platform must take priority.